A Re-Entry Initiative Overview: Cobb Works, in partnership with Cobb County Jail, Construction Ready and Chattahoochee Technical College will implement a prisoner re-entry initiative within the Cobb County Jail. This re-entry initiative addresses a critical need within the community. To reduce recidivism, the project will establish a workforce development education, employment and training program co-located in the Cobb County Jail. The program will improve incarcerated individual’s outcomes, raise education and skill levels and create a skilled and talented pipeline for local employers.
Incarcerated individuals will receive education and literacy services, high-demand industry skills training, coupled with robust workforce readiness skills training, and employment placement. To further improve employment retention, support services to mitigate barriers to employment will be made available for all graduates. This includes but is not limited to: housing assistance, transportation, vital document recovery, mental health services, food security and childcare. The program fills a critical safety need in the community as well as provides a much-needed resource for individuals released from incarceration.
Furthermore, the program provides a pipeline of workers addressing a skills-gap for a high demand industry during a time where talent shortages has impeded employer’s ability to fill available openings with workers in short supply. The initiative will promote skills training and build talent pipelines through strong collaboration, educational and training programs for in high demand, high wage industries strengthening and building talent pipelines. ReAlign ReStart utilizes a No‐Wrong Door model, participants will be provided access and support from a wide range of resources, services and supports that improve work readiness, soft skills, and overall employability and retention.
A “continuum of services” will provide opportunities for all customers regardless of background, skills, or abilities. Participants will be provided choices in the enrollment in the on-site construction/welding training program and enrollment in a high demand skills training program upon release.
